Timey Wimey Travelling Partners in Crime
by caromac
Summary: In the whole creation of sound, space and timeywimey stuff, Rose manages to find a way back to the Doctor. Reunion!fic.
1. Chapter 1

Title: Timey Wimey Travelling Partners in Crime.

Disclaimer: Created Russell and owned by the Beeb.

Pairing: Doctor / Rose.

Spoilers: Not really, except for my musings about Season 4 ( and that spoiler. )

Summary: In the whole creation of sound, space and timey-wimey stuff, Rose manages to find a way back to the Doctor. Reunion!fic.

Author's Note: This is a simple reunion fic, only I'm starting off with the reunion and backtracking the story of how it happened through flashbacks. Martha, Donna are onboard: and I'm trying to treat each character with respect, regardless of my particular feelings on some aspects of them.

Flashbacks are in italics.

* * *

Rose lay on her back, staring up at the ceiling of her Tardis bedroom. It felt good to be there, it smelt right. There was a faint yellow light coming from her open doorway, but apart from that the room was still and silent. The sheets were cotton and smooth, not like the silken lumpiness of her bed at the Tyler House. Everything was just as she remembered.

Rose smiled to herself in the darkness of the room. She was starting to do that again. Spontaneous smiling. She couldn't help it; Rose felt as if there were two huge balloons in her lungs. Expanding at every moment they made her chest swell and her heart constrict, pushing smiles up to the surface from where they had been sleeping for so long.

Rose Tyler was awake.

And she couldn't get to sleep.

She rubbed the wall next to her lovingly as she laid in bed. She could have imagined it - but the walls of Tardis hummed in response to her fingertips.

" She's pleased to have you back."

Rose lifted her head to see the Doctor, leant in the doorframe at the end of her bed and observing her happily.

She smiled.

" Yeah, I missed the old girl too."

The Doctor came and sat next to Rose, who pulled herself up a bit.

" I could say the same about Jackie. "

" Watch it." warned Rose, her tongue poking out of the corner of her mouth in amusement.

The Doctor smiled and took Rose's hand. Looking her in the eye he leant forward and asked.

" So, why can't you get to sleep?"

" Oh I can," retorted Rose. " Half a day with you and I'm already run off my feet. " Rose's voice lowered slightly as her head ducked down. " I just don't want to. Afraid when I wake up all this will be gone. "

Rose ran her free hand over the wall, and looked back to the Doctor.

" She'll still be here. _We__'__ll _still be here. " he assured, giving Rose's hand an additional squeeze.

" Yeah I know … " replied Rose distractedly as she stared at the ceiling, not sounding all together convinced.

The Doctor cleared his throat.

" She will. She won't even go away. The Tardis, she's not just singing you to sleep. This isn't a lullaby. " said the Doctor, motioning all around him at the chorus of humming walls. " It's the melody in your dreams, staying with you in your sleep. It's the Bad Wolf. It's the Vortex. " The Doctor leant down and lowered his voice impressively.

" It's the timey wimey stuff that does the jiggery pokery in your brain. "

" The Gift of the Tardis. " Rose quoted back fondly.

" Exactly." the Doctor straightened up and pointed a finger in the air. " It's this old girl that turns you into a bilingual, time travelling adventurer like me!"

" Well don't you want to take some of the credit?" asked Rose grinning.

" Ah well, obviously you owe your cool headed practicality and charming roguishness to me."

" Is roguishness even a word?"

" Would you know the difference if I said no?"

" Yeah, cos you do this funny little thing when you scratch your right ear when you're lying - " teased Rose, sitting up to grab said ear.

Deftly the Doctor caught her hand, and pulled up face to face with the Doctor both stilled for a moment, their noses almost touching. Rose's chest swelled with the sheer delight of being this close again and she burst out laughing as the balloons in her expanded. The Doctor broke out in a fantastic smile and also started laughing, pulling her into his arms as he did so.

Grinning happily against him, Rose felt the Doctor's mouth hover by her ear.

" It _is _a word I'll have you know. "

Rose snorted.

" Did you just snort Ms Tyler? Not very ladylike if you don't mind me saying. "

Rose and the Doctor rocked back and forth a bit as Rose replied.

" I'm just so happy to be back."

" Hm, I didn't realize snorting was an expression of joy. "

" Doctor - on the beach. I still mean what I said. "

The walls of the Tardis hummed.

" G - good. I - uh, well. Just so you know … I was going to say - well, I meant what you said too. Still do as a matter of fact. "

Rose pulled herself out of the hug, rolling her eyes.

" What?" asked the Doctor, eyeing Rose worriedly.

Rose could almost laugh at the small confused expression on the Doctor's face. For a 900 year old alien he wasn't half vulnerable.

" Blimey Doctor, I know you like to go on a bit but could you have thought of a more roundabout way to say that?"

" Rose, " stated the Doctor, his voice changing to that of a more serious tone. " I hardly think crouching on the side of a bed in the dark, with two angry, possibly menopausal, women arguing over television a few rooms over is exactly a fitting moment to tell the women I love that I - "

The Doctor broke off, realising his mistake just as it was too late.

" Love her?" finished off Rose with a delighted grin.

The Doctor smiled sheepishly back.

" Well that was a bit of an anti-climax wasn't it?"

" Good enough for me!" laughed Rose, her voice ringing infectiously as she flung her arms back around the Doctor.

* * *

" So. "

" So. "

" Donna? "

" Yeah, about those two - " the Doctor started.

" No, Doctor I'm glad you're travelling with someone. And Martha's great, she really is. Nice and funny and smart- I think she shows me up a little bit actually - "

" Rose - "

" Oi, stop interrupting you. It's just … _Donna. _"

" What's wrong with her?"

" Nothing, she's nice and friendly too. She's just a bit - loud. Like my Mum actually. "

The Doctor laughed.

" Well you should get used to her. And she's very handy in case you ever happen to leave your blow-horn at home. "

Rose nodded.

" So she grows on you."

" Exactly Rose, a lot like fungus. "

" Only not so green and sticky. " came an indignant voice from the door.

The Doctor and Rose whipped around guiltily to face the blow-horn in question; Donna standing in the door frame with her arms crossed.

" Martha's mucked up the telly set again. Bring that sonic toothbrush thing of yours. Hope you're feeling alright Rose. " said Donna, nodding to Rose.

And with one final glare in the Doctor's direction she was gone again.

" Sonic _screwdriver_. " the Doctor grumbled.

Rose rubbed his arm fondly, before giving him a slight push off the bed. Sighing heavily he stood up to follow Donna, shooting one grimaced smile back in Rose's direction.

Rose chuckled knowingly, and shifted over to face the wall - trying to find a comfy position - when she felt a hand on her back and - as she turned over - a warm mouth pressed firmly against her own.

Rose's eyes fluttered open in surprise, and as the Doctor drew away he grinned at her; broadly, happily and mischievously, then promptly ran out of the room.

* * *

The Doctor practically skipped out of Rose's room, before crashing into a tall, fleshy column.

" Ow!"

" Watch it. " growled Donna.

" It would help if you didn't stand where I was walking! " exclaimed the Doctor as he brushed down his lapels.

" What? Don't want to get infected by the nasty fungus lady Doctor?" asked Donna with an arched eyebrow and crossed arms.

The Doctor at least had the good grace to look sheepish, and scratch his right ear awkwardly.

" Yeah, sorry about that. "

" Well next time you might walk in on me and Martha saying nasty things about you, then you won't be so happy will you?" said Donna, as she started to stalk off haughtily down the corridor.

The Doctor ran to catch up with her.

" Rose wasn't saying anything bad. It was just me. She was only curious about you and Martha. "

Donna slowed down to let the Doctor walk by her side.

" Oh I don't begrudge her being here; it's clear as the light of the day that you're in love with her, and if you don't mind me saying so Doctor you're not half as grumpy with her around. "

Donna sped up again, leaving the Doctor open mouthed and stationary in her wake.

Donna, still walking to the Tardis living room, called over her shoulder.

" Hurry up will you?"

The Doctor started, and chasing to catch up with Donna called out:

" Do you and Martha really say nasty things about me?"

* * *

" _Another one of his grumpy moods?"_

" _Yeah. Do Time Lords get PMS you think?"_

_Donna chuckled as she reached for the overhead cabinet. _

" _So what do you reckon, can I risk a skirt today? Only I got a nice tan when we visited that second sun yesterday …"_

" _You'd thought he'd gotten over her by now. "_

" … _or I could wear a bikini and some ass-less chaps with a flamingo on my head. What about that?"_

" _Yeah, sounds good. " replied Martha distractedly. _

_Donna banged down the two mugs onto the table, and Martha jumped in surprise. _

" _What? Have you got a vendetta against kitchen dishware or something?"_

" _You my girl, need to get over it. " stated Donna, as she sat down opposite Martha. _

_Martha squirmed guiltily in her chair. _

" _I have. I am over it. "_

_Donna raised her eyebrow. _

" _I am. " insisted Martha. " It just wouldn't hurt my ego if he moved on too." _

" _Him? Who can brood alone in his room for hours on end? Not likely. " scoffed Donna. . _

" _But she was just his friend. " _

" _Oh come on Martha, the way he waxes on about her? I stumbled across her room once, he acted like I'd vandalised an ancient shrine or something. He was in love with her. You know that. "_

" _Yeah I guess. " said Martha despondently, digging her thumb into the table. " What do you think happened to her?"_

_Donna shrugged as she blew over the top of her cup. _

" _Dunno. She's still alive somewhere, I know that much."_

" _Yeah in another void. I overheard the Doctor talking. " Martha added at Donna's quizzical look. _

" _Well she's gone forever now and there's not much either we or him can do about that. "_

" _MARTHA! DONNA!"_

" _Kitchen!" Donna bellowed back. _

_The Doctor ran up the corridor and skidded into the room in a flurry of excitement. _

" _It's happened! I've got a distress call!"_

_Martha and Donna stared at the Doctor blankly. _

" _From the other side! Of the Void! I can get her back … she's there and I can get her back!" _

_Martha turned to face Donna. _

" _Gone forever huh?"_

…

_Let me know what you think. _


	2. Chapter 2

This is a rather long chapter. Thanks to all those that reviewed, you guys rock. I would take the time to thank you individually but I am VERY tired and posting this last thing before I go to bed. As a result of my sleep deprivation - and beta deprivation - all probable mistakes are also mine.

* * *

_The Doctor ran up the corridor and skidded into the room in a flurry of excitement. _

" _It's happened! I've got a distress call!"_

_Martha and Donna stared at the Doctor blankly. _

" _From the other side! Of the Void! I can get her back … she's there and I can get her back!" _

_Martha turned to face Donna. _

" _Gone forever huh?"_

* * *

_And so it started._

_Martha couldn't even remember running so much in one day; if she didn't have blisters before it was a safe bet she had them now. _

_Of course what the Doctor needed could only be found on the most dangerous, the most uncivilised and the most unruly planets. Each one worse than the last, she discovered, as she the Doctor and Donna ran into one dead end after another._

_It wasn't as if she went along quietly, no questions asked. Martha Jones was no-one's lackey; not even for a time travelling alien. But even when she pulled her much favoured talk-or-I'm-not-moving trick, "power" was the only enigmatic answer the Doctor would give on the subject, and even Donna knew better than to question further when the Doctor stopped joking and his eyes grew harder. Martha didn't know what the "power" was for, whether that meant men or ship parts but whatever it was the Doctor wasn't having any luck finding it. _

_Brow furrowed he plunged into criminal dens, black market trading spots, run down hotels; any low life dig in search of "contacts". That being another generic noun he threw back at his weary companions as they hurried hopelessly after him. Never before had Martha so sorely felt the absence of his sense of fun and adventure. She hadn't been this miserable around the Doctor since 1913. Even Donna wasn' daring to complain, though Martha had been fully bracing herself for one of the redhead's infamous outbursts after one memorable visit to a filth ridden sewer. God knows what the Doctor had been looking for there. _

_It was hard to keep track of time but by the end of the what felt like the first day ( at least the Doctor allowed her to go to her room and get some sleep ) the Doctor was still no closer, and his brimming excitement from earlier that morning had been worn down into frustrated, barely contained patience. As Martha slipped gratefully in between her duvet covers she wondered she felt the Tardis hum and move beneath her. A distinct, ringing crash from the console room told her the Doctor was still working; no doubt restless. It worried her the state he was in; granted he had always been manic - that was part of his charm - but this steely determination frightened her. And he wasn't talking, he had barely uttered two words to her today and some Gallifreyan that had sounded suspiciously like swearing. He just stormed along his path, Donna and Martha pulled after him like kite tails in the wind. _

_And all the while a barely repressed voice in Martha's head filled in the Doctor's silence. _

_This was wrong. _

* * *

"Rose?" 

Rose's eyes blinked open, once, twice - enough to ascertain that the owner of that voice was in the room and not in her imagination - then shut again lazily.

" Doctor?" she asked in sleepy amusement, already wondering about what was going to happen.

Somewhere in the vicinity of the foot of her bed a whispered question was shot back at Rose.

" Are you awake?"

" No I'm just dreaming about you. " came the muffled reply.

" Really?"

" Yes. And I sleep talk too. "

"Oh. "

There was a pause where Rose couldn't hear anymore, till a large _someone _jumped up and down on the bed, landing heavily on her leg.

In return Rose playfully kicked upwards, and was rewarded with a yelp and thud that signified the Doctor falling off of her bed.

Pushing herself up on her hands Rose leant over the side of her bed, face falling over her hair, and squinted in the darkness to make out the Doctor's indignant form writhing angrily with her dressing gown.

She grinned.

" You alright down there?"

The Doctor didn't say anything but Rose knew for a fact that he was frowning at her. Placatingly she leant back and patted her bed again, and after a delayed moment he conceded -jumping back up sit cross legged opposite her.

" Two visits in one night I'm a lucky girl. " Rose remarked as he made himself comfortable.

" Mmmm."

As he sat in the darkness Rose waited for him to say something else … only to be met by silence.

" Doctor?"

" Hmm? Wait - oh yes, sorry. Alright … conversation. Go."

" You're the one who came to see me. "

" Did I? Oh yes, I remember! Right, get up. "

The Doctor sprung to his feet.

" We've got places to see." he announced mysteriously, voice returning to a whisper.

Rose yawned. She was less taken in by the magic.

" Where are you planning on doing at this time of night? It's - well I don't know what time it is but I bet it's late. "

" Time's irrelevant!" the Doctor cried.

" But my sleep cycle isn't. "

Rose heard the Doctor sigh heavily in the dark.

" Fine. I'll just be off then. "

Before Rose could stop him the Doctor turned and she heard his footfalls retreating towards the door in the corner of her room. Jumping out of bed Rose blindly groped for the Doctor's arm in the dark, pulling him back before he could rush off.

" Oi! Slow down - "

Rose got a hold of coarse fabric in her hand and felt it pull as the Doctor turned to her. A lot closer she could see his cheeky grin in the dark and without letting go of his arm she indignantly thwacked him with it.

The Doctor seemed un-phased.

" Thought you needed sleep?"

Rose narrowed her eyes at him, staring for a moment before sighing and letting go of his arm.

" Oh you know I'm coming - let me get changed quick first."

" No there's no time - come on!"

Grabbing her hand the Doctor swiftly dragged Rose out into the corridor, and she gasped at the cold grilling underneath and bright overhead light. Choosing to ignore this the Doctor continued pulling her along behind him, and despite her sleep depravation Rose noted that he too was wearing pyjamas. Pinstriped ones.

" Why are we in a rush? Are we visiting the Planet of the Perpetual Pillow Party?"

The Doctor laughed and tugged on her arm again, glancing down at his apparel.

" Yes I'll grab a coat before we go. "

The Doctor grinned back at Rose as he pulled her towards the console room eagerly.

" I thought I'd dress to match you."

" I thought there was no time for fancy dress." Rose commented dryly, but still let herself be pulled.

" But seriously though, if I get turned into statue again and I look like this, I'm going to kill you. "

" Homicidal statues - now _that _was an episode. Good old Sally though. I would've like to meet her properly, pity - but she's got her shop now. "

" Who's Sally? Honestly, don't you ever meet any men?"

* * *

" _A library?"_

_Martha turned to look at the Doctor. He was staring at his surroundings with absolute glee, bouncing lightly up and down on the balls of his feet. _

" _Best kind of power in the universe! Knowledge. You should know that Martha; what would medical students be without their textbooks? " _

" _In debt. "_

" _Precisely! Right, where do we start?"_

_Martha Turned to stare incredulously at the towers of shelves reaching off into the far, dusty distance. Someone nearby coughed and a little cloud of dust was blown in front of their faces. It was like exam time all over again. Next to her Donna thought idly to herself, that if anywhere looked like Hogwarts this was it. The world's biggest library. Or at least the biggest library of this little alien world, 4 billion years in the future. _

" _What are we looking for this time?" asked Martha, voice weary. _

" _Every single piece of information ever complied on Time Lords and Time Lord technology is contained here; somewhere among these musty volumes. In order to do what I'm thinking we'll need to do, I'll have to tap into a whole other level of flying. And since I failed my test I'll need to do my homework. Now … do you think the section will be under T for Time Lords or G for Gallifrey? "_

_Without waiting for an answer the Doctor strode off down the main corridor, and Martha leaned to Donna and muttered underhandedly. _

" _How about S for Stupid? " _

* * *

" What are we - oh my god, is that _our _chip shop Doctor?" 

" Precisomundo Rose, the very one we visited after your first trip out in the Tardis. Back when I had big ears to go with my mouth. Wait, "precisomundo" isn't much better than "correctomundo" is it?"

As the Doctor rambled Rose stared in wonderment at the simple building across the road, an ordinary British chip shop with an "Open" sign hanging in the window and a council house and Post Office either side of it. You couldn't pick a more domestic place in the world if you tried and to Rose it was absolutely wonderful.

" Oh I missed this place. I'd almost forgotten about it. "

" _Forgotten about it? This place?" _

The Doctor shook his head mournfully as he overcame his shock.

"Rose I'm ashamed; the destination of our weekly communion to the land of grease and ketchup just to satisfy your human cravings? We visited this place more than we visited your mother. "

Rose sighed and shrugged in resignation, playing along with the Doctor's game.

" Well I'm sorry but missing you and missing the Tardis pretty much dominated all the room in my brain for angst. "

" Well that's understandable. " conceded the Doctor, cocking his head to her.

Expecting a laugh and instead met by silence the Doctor looked at Rose, and immediately sobered as he watched her face fall into melancholy remembrance and her happy mood falter. What he had said a moment ago had struck a chord with her; an innocent reminder of the family who were a million miles away, possibly gone forever.

Taking a deep breath Rose stared contemplatively at the chip shop across the street, brightly lit up in the dark by the halogen light bulbs inside.

" I lied. I did miss this place. I missed all of them. "

" Did they not have one in Pete's World?"

All at once the sombre snapped as Rose rolled her eyes and turned to face the Doctor in faux-annoyance.

" Oh don't call it that. "

" Why not? I like that. " defended the Doctor, wounded over the name he made up.

" It makes my Dad sound like a chat show host. " Rose grumbled to him.

" Oh has the Tyler franchise not branched out into television yet?" the Doctor teased, nudging Rose playfully in the ribs with his elbow. Rose groaned even louder as she hooked her arm through his, leaning against him as they set off across the road to their favourite shop in the world, voices bouncing off each other in the night.

" Oh no, don't say that … somehow my Dad'll hear you and start getting ideas. The guest spot on Strictly Come Stripping was bad enough. "

" I'm sorry - did you say Strictly Come _Stripping?" _

" That's parallel universes for you. Over there the Beeb's on cable. "

* * *

_It was the third day. The third day of searching. The third day of dead ends. The third day of being ignored and used as the Doctor got more and more frustrated. _

_Martha Jones had decided it was the final day. _

_And the Doctor - jabbering on at 100 mph in the console room as he practically told them off for not keeping up - was the final straw. He was in the middle of giving them instructions as for how they needed to behave on the next world so as to avoid being hauled in by the police and "wasting " his precious time getting them out. Martha practically growled. What kind of bloody Time Lord was he?_

" _Martha? Martha are you even listening?"_

_Snapping out of it Martha refocused her eyes on the Doctor, her chin up defiantly. _

" _Martha are you not paying attention?" he demanded angrily, clicking his fingers in front of her face. _

_Clicking his fingers in front of her face. _

_Martha snapped. _

" _Doctor, would you stop talking to me as if I was a child?!" _

_Affronted the Doctor drew back. Carefully he observed Martha, then frowning adopted his teacher tone once more. _

" _Well a child might be quiet and listen Martha. You've got to pay attention, what we have to do is very important and is hinged on an extremely delicate operation." _

" _Oh, is it?" Martha challenged._

" _Yes, one tear and the Universe could collapse! So ears open and mouths shut please." _

_Martha felt like she could scream at his ignorance. Instead she took a step forward and raised her voice. _

" _No Doctor, you don't understand, is what we're doing really that important? Look you love her -I get that but we've spent the whole day chasing you around god knows how many forsaken planets and you're no closer than you were yesterday. And I'm tired Doctor. So's Donna, she's just too polite to say so … which is odd really considering."_

_Martha glanced sideways at Donna. _

" _No offence."_

_The redhead nodded mutely in return. _

" _You could have stayed here Martha. I told you that you didn't have to come. "_

_Martha whipped back round to face the Doctor, fuming. _

" _What, so I have to say inside the Tardis like a good little girl instead? Not likely. And can you really justify doing all this to get her back? You said it yourself, the Universe might collapse! "_

" _Martha - "_

" _For once would you just shut up and listen for a change?! I don't care about what you have to say. People have got hurt Doctor!" Martha hollered. _

" _How have you - "_

" _That man, back on Plow. "_

" _That man was lowlife scum. " growled the Doctor._

" _Doesn't change the fact that he's been hospitalized. " _

" _He stood in my way."_

" _So you decided to beat him out of it?!" Martha exclaimed. _

" _That was an accident. "_

" _Which you could have easily prevented! How can you honestly say you're not doing this for selfish reasons Doctor? Because you are! "_

"_I know. "_

_Martha stared, momentarily shocked into silence. _

" _And that's alright with you is it? You're still going to carry on are you?"_

" _Yes."_

" _Why?!"_

_The Doctor barely blinked, coolly staring back at his outraged companion. _

" _Because I want to."_

_Martha exploded. _

" _You can't bend the Universe to your will because you want your girlfriend back!" _

_The Doctor stared at Martha. She stared straight back. _

_Donna, on the fringes, watched nervously. _

_And then the Doctor spoke. _

" _Maybe not. But if I can do it - and without endangering any lives to boot - then I'm going to. Simple as that Martha Jones. And if you don't like it or agree with it then you can leave. This isn't a democracy and I'm not your babysitter. This is my ship, and my house so what I say goes. Got it? "_

_The Doctor finished - barely having raised his voice throughout - but had moved so close to Martha his nose was mere inches away from hers. He was staring her down. _

_Donna twitched nervously. _

" _Martha - " she ventured. _

_Cautiously she reached out and placed a hand on her friend's shoulder. _

_Instead of throwing it angrily off as she expected, Martha didn't react at all, staring stoically at the Doctor. Donna held her breath, waiting to see which one of them - like angry, caged animals ready to spring - would move first. _

_And then, instead of pouncing Martha - still surly and bitterly disappointed - shrugged at the Doctor, her air of nonchalance betrayed the furiousness brimming in her tense body language._

" _Fine, destroy the world if you want. But I'm having no part in it. Call me when the apocalypse comes. " _

_Without one last glance backwards Martha turned and left, her heavy footfalls clunking as she stormed down the corridor and echoing around the console room as the Doctor and Donna stood there silently. _

_As the sound of Martha died out Donna risked a look at the Doctor. She could only see his side profile, but all his earlier energy had clearly dissipated. He was leant over the console with a deeply shadowed but incomprehensible expression on his face. Guilt? _

_Bracing herself to be yelled at, Donna squared up to the Doctor. _

" _She may be jealous Doctor - but she's right. So I'm asking you now … can you do it?" _

_The Doctor didn't look up, nor did he raise his voice. _

" _I can. "_

_Donna sighed, in relief or resignation she didn't know. Stepping up to the console she resisted the urge to clap the Doctor on the back, instead settling for a brisk tone. _

" _Well then. Let's get a move on." _

" _No. " The Doctor straightened up and turned to her, head bowed and not quite meeting her eyes. _

" _You stay. I want you to look after Martha while I'm gone. Tell her I'm sorry, tell her I'm sorry for what I'm doing but I'm not going to stop. " _

_Donna nodded. She was reluctant to leave him, but much of her still doubted what he was doing and was almost glad of an excuse to back out while she could. Martha she could deal with. _

" _Alright. I'll stay here with her. "_

_Donna started to walk away from the Doctor - but turned back to face him once more. _

" _Doctor?"_

" _What?" he replied distractedly, his back to her. _

" _Good luck. "_

_The Doctor spun around on the spot, and was met by Donna's sincere gaze. Humbly he stopped moving, and shoved his hands in his pockets. _

" _I really do hope you find her. "_

_Donna smiled tentatively, and looking back at her the Doctor nodded, silently replying. _

_Thank you. _

* * *

" There you are Sir, one large portion and one pot of curry sauce. Sauce on the house o'course. " 

As he spoke the young man behind the counter - couldn't have been more than twenty one Rose mused as she rubbed the Doctor's hand idly - deposited a white, plastic bag in front of them and the heavenly waft of fried potato reached her nose.

With his free hand the Doctor reached inside his coat pocket, and after several moments of fumbling pulled out a tenner and slapped it down on the top of the till, beaming in triumph at young man waiting.

" Thanks Ziggy. Nice bandana by the way, new one?"

Rose boggled at the Doctor in bemusement. He turned and gave her a small, un-explanatory smile then turned back to watch "Ziggy" tidy away the till, and to Rose's utter amazement the greasy young lad actually blushed and nodded his head shyly.

" Yeah ta for noticing, Mam got it for me for Christmas. "

The Doctor seemed perfectly at ease, nodding and smiling at "Ziggy" as if he were a reception teacher commending a student on a particularly nice collage made of tin foil and blu tack.

" Tell her she's got good taste. "

Rose almost snorted, so surreal was the conversation.

" Will do, hope you and your lady friend 'ave a nice one. "

Nodding cheerfully the Doctor took his change and chips in one hand, the tugged Rose with the other who had turned stationary. Puling her out of the shop the Doctor strode cheerfully down the street, swinging his and Rose's conjoined hands and inhaling the night air.

" So Rose, what do you think? Old park bench? This seems to be a night of tradition after all. Though I hope the Sycorax don't turn up. "

" Uh, Doctor?"

" Yes Rose?" he replied, genially smiling down at her.

Rose raised her eyebrows at him.

" Ziggy?"

The Doctor's calm and clueless expression withered under Rose's perplexity, and he burst out laughing; mouth popping open with an erupted laugh that didn't stop till it made him breathless.

Rose pulled on his hand, bringing him to a halt as he recovered and she stared at him; patiently awaiting answers with a playful glint of amusement in her eyes but a set mouth of determination.

The Doctor took a deep breath, and exhaled drawing himself up again. Looking at Rose he humbly made an expression of apology, but the look on her face almost threatened to start him laughing all over again.

" Sorry. " said the Doctor, not looking the least bit sorry.

Rose rolled her eyes and pulled on their joined hands, grinning broadly as she pulled him along.

Catching up the Doctor took his hand out of hers and slipped it around her shoulders, bringing her closer to him and the warmth his coat afforded him. And if she was surprised by the coupley nature of it all, he soon dismissed her doubts; using his free hand to move her chin and tilt her face up towards his, so he could plant a loving, simple and slightly salty kiss on her lips.

Drawing away he delighted at how she beamed and her face glowed in the orange light of the street lights. She licked her lips and poked her tongue out of the corner of her mouth.

" Have you been sampling our dinner Doctor?"

* * *

_Donna found her in the Tardis living room, slumped forward on the couch with her elbows on her knees and hands massaging the back of her bowed neck in frustration. Donna paused in the doorway and knew Martha hadn't heard her approaching since she hadn't moved. Dryly thought how that was poor form for someone faced with danger and things that crept up behind you every day. Honestly, their life was like panto in space sometimes … just without all the funny costumes and an ex-soap star in drag. _

" _Martha?"_

_Martha's neck tensed and her hands stopped moving. Still she didn't sit up, and answered in a flat voice. _

" _He sent you to check up on me?"_

_Donna hesitated. The honest answer was no but Martha really wasn't in the mood to be aggravated more so she bit her lip and walked over to sit next to Martha on the couch. As she did so Martha straightened up, and Donna noted the red rimmed eyes and tousled hair that hadn't been there in the console room. _

" _He just wanted to know that you were alright. "_

_Martha nodded heavily, biting her lip too, but Donna expected as a means to keep the tears from coming. _

" _Is he gonna stop?"_

_Donna didn't reply._

_Martha laughed humourlessly and looked at Donna sharply. _

" _I'm a big girl Donna I can take the word "no.""_

" _If it helps I think you're right. "_

" _Sure. " Martha replied sardonically._

" _And I also think you're jealous. " _

_Martha didn't reply for a moment. Instead she sat and chewed over Donna's words, __and the harsh blow of truth they brought. _

_Donna studied her friend's face and could almost see the cogs turning, the truth was so messy to face and so easy to angrily deny; a hint of which had flashed in Martha's eyes a moment ago. But Donna knew her friend well - she was the closest thing she had to a sister - and she knew that Martha wasn't the sort to indulge in temper tantrums or refuse to see reason. _

_Still … _

" _Just because I'm jealous doesn't mean I'm wrong. " _

" _I know. " said Donna in understanding, rubbing a hand up and down Martha's arm in comfort. _

_Martha ignored Donna's ministrations and continued, the glint in her eye hardening. _

" _And just because I have feelings for him - it doesn't mean that he can treat me like that, like I should agree with everything he says or does. That's not fair. "_

_Donna smiled wryly. _

" _You should trying being me for a bit. I love him to bits but I also hate his breathing guts … bloody cocky wanker. " _

_Martha laughed in a choked sort of way, her throat dry and raspy and encumbered by a rather irritating lump stuck in the middle of it. _

_Bringing a hand to her face and rubbing at her cheeks she leant into her friend, resting her head on Donna's shoulders._

" _Since when did you become the bloody voice of wisdom?"_

" _I know. Especially when I'm bunked up with a Doctor and an alien. Maybe I should ring home and tell Mum." _

_Martha opened her mouth and was just about to reply when a large bang, and a huge tremor that reverberated throughout the ship threw them; literally, as they fell off the couch and were knocked onto the ground, Martha sprawled on top of Donna. Overlooking their awkward position Donna and Martha's eyes met and alighted with mutual revelation; the Tardis had landed. The Doctor had found something. _

_Or someone. _

_Weakly Martha's head dipped and she bit her lip again, then slowly crawled off Donna and pointed in the direction of the door as a form of invitation. _

" _Go on then. Go find out. "_

_Donna looked worriedly at her friend, and with one quick smack to the top of Martha's head leapt to her feet and raced out of the room towards the Doctor. _

* * *

_Breathlessly Donna raced into the console room, jumping up onto the central platform despite the fact that the Tardis was shaking from side to side. The Doctor seemed impervious to it all, stood calmly at the helm but gripping the console with a stony determination. _

" _What's happened? Have you done it, have you found her?" burst out Donna. _

" _No. "_

_Donna looked round in bewilderment. _

" _But then what - "_

_The Doctor flicked a switch. _

"_But I know someone who can. " _

_TBC … _


End file.
